Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-11-21
MORE DOODLE.
San Francisco the Center of Another De-
cided Sensation


lSan Francisco Call, November 10Th.
A decided sensation has been caused by
the arrest on Friday afternoon of William
A. Boyd. who was formerly in charge of
the Chinese Registration Department of
the Custom-bouse, and Ferdinand d. Clip
rico, ex-Inspector of Customs, both of whom
were indicted By the United States Circuit
Grand Jury for dealing in fraudulent Chi
nese certificates during the wears 1888, 1884
and the early part of 1885. Both of che &C
cused are well known and respectfully con-
| nected in this city In all the Federal de-
partments, as well as upon the streets, the
action taken was the topic of conversation.
Many applauded the step taken by Col,
lector Hager and mis- deputies TO- ferret. ont!
the perpetrators of the Chinese certificate
frauds. - -r~t
The particular charge against them is the
asserted purloining from the Custom-house
! in January, 1885, of 100 certificates which
were given to A. HIM for sale in China.
A special indictment Is also lodged
! against Boyd charging him with issuing
I false certificate, l0,S16. to Lee All Fong, on
| October Z, 1854.
At late hour Ciprico succeeded in OBJ
tanning the required $4,000 bail, but Boyd
was less fortunate, and for the lack of
! $4,000 bond he languished in the custody
of the United States Marshal.
THE MoDUS oPEEANDI.
| The Examiner says 1t is believed by
| Deputy Collector II. II. Scott that before
| the investigation closes it will be demon
strated that as many as 1900 fraudulent
certificates have been sold to Chinese il
| San Francisco and China.
| A variety of methods were employed to
obtain certificates for the market. When
Chinaman was landed on a certificate it
would be taken up by the customs officers
| and have stamped on its back in aniline
| ink the word " Cancelled" The correspond
| ing number of the certificate in a registry
would have the same word written opposite
the name, and then the certificate would be
| filed away. 1t was discovered, however,
| that by the use OF rubber eraser or am
monia the word :" Cancelled on the back Of
the certificate. could easily be ohliterated.
| They would then take the registry books
and with their knives erase the word can
celed," opposite the corresponding number
and name, and then hand in the certificate
with the doctored second hand certificate
| to their emissaries for sale.
OF course such proceeding necessitated
! the completely of the officers on board the
ship, who were charged with the duty of
examining incoming Cinnamon and the
comparison of their certificates with their
physical marks and peculiarities. Ciprico
| WIFI ILLS uuiy at the wharf,
was the instrument made use of in land
ing the Cinnamon who presented these
fraudulent certificates.
ANOTHER PLAN.
However, it is supposed that this method
of reusing Cancelled certificates was consid-
cred risky business, inasmuch as some of
these were discovered by other officials and
reported. They then hit upon another
plan, more sure and far-reaching and at
tended with little danger of detection. This
plan was as follows: They would procure
| a number of Chinese dummies to present
| themselves at the Custom house, claiming
to be about to depart from the country and
demanding certificates. The dummy would
undergo the regular process. That is, his
name, age, occupation, etc, would be duly
! entered on the register and white tag be
delivered to him, to be taken up at the
ship, and certificate in due form issued.
This certificate, however, would be retained
by the conspirators. The white tag would
be returned to the office and an entry made
IN the books of the Custom-house showing
that the dummy had departed for China
The certificate would then, with others OBJ
tanned in like manner, be sent fresh from
hand to hand to Chinatown or China, to be
hawked tor sale.
Women's certificates were worth as high
as $50 each, and mems from $50 to 500.
While this traffic was going on 1t is sup
posed that Boyd, Ciprico & Co., being able
to identify these fraudulent certificates
when they were presented by immigrants
from China, would land the bearers at
once, and at the same time, in order to
keep up show of vigilance, and to direct
the attention of the press and public to the
| Courts and away from themselves, would
pick out the genuine Immigrants, refuse
them landing and require them to resort
to writs of habeas corpus. As 1t stands a
coolie in the neighborhood of 500 in costs
and lawyers fees to get through the Courts,
and fraudulent certificate gave full as
surance of speedy landing, the value of the
latter was kept up in the market